NEW DELHI, 8 March 2006 — At least 21 people were killed and scores wounded when three bombs exploded in a temple and train station in the northern Hindu city of Varanasi yesterday. No group claimed responsibility for the blasts but the Uttar Pradesh state government sounded a statewide alert against possible Hindu-Muslim violence.

Aside from the three explosions, police found two other bombs near the city’s main cremation site on the banks of the Ganges River.

The first blast tore into the Hanuman Temple — one of the oldest and most crowded shrines in the ancient city — when it was packed with devotees. Indian television quoted witnesses as saying the powerful explosion set off a stampede as people tried to flee the temple.

“The blast was so powerful that it could be heard across the town, and we have moved five or six badly-burned dead,” an eyewitness said.

“Everyone was running. There were corpses lying around,” another witness told Aaj Tak television channel. “There was almost a stampede.”

Rescue workers struggled in Varanasi’s narrow lanes to cart out the victims, most of whom had injuries to their legs and to the lower parts of their bodies, people on the scene said.

Within 10 minutes, two more bombs went off in the city’s main train station, said Kamlesh Pathak, the city’s chief administrator. One went off outside the station master’s office while the other exploded inside a train car jammed with travelers going on holiday ahead of the annual Hindu festival of color, Holi. “The blast occurred inside a crowded coach of the Shiv Ganga Express minutes before it was to set off for New Delhi,” Pathak said.

“Ten people have died at the (Hanuman) temple and 11 more at the train station. Eight of them are women,” he said.

“We are counting the bodies as they are coming in... There is confusion everywhere and all I can say for now is that three of the eight (women) are young girls,” the official said by telephone.

At least 62 people were injured, some in critical condition, officials said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the blasts and appealed for maintaining peace and calm, government spokesman Muthu Kumar said. “He is constantly monitoring the situation.”

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav announced compensation of 500,000 rupees ($11,500) for each of those killed and 100,000 for those seriously injured.

Describing the blasts as “mindless acts of terrorism,” Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi expressed deep concern and anguish at the loss of lives. Sonia and Home Minister Shivraj Patil flew to Varanasi late in the evening.

The Hindu fundamentalist Bharatiya Janata Party was quick to seize the opportunity.

It blamed the attack on the federal government’s “soft policies” and Samajwadi Party’s “minority appeasement policies”.

— Additional input from agencies